308 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Family AMPHIPORIDAE 



Zy^onemertes virescens Montgomery, 1897; Coe, 1940, 

 1943 



Amphiporus virescens Verrill, 1879, 1892; Ophionemerles 

 ngilis Verrill, 1873; Amphiporus agilis Verrill, 1892. 



The slender, cylindrical, greenish worms belong- 

 ing to this species differ from all others known 

 from the region in having very numerous, minute 

 ocelli which extend along the sides of the body 

 far posterior to the brain. Living individuals may 

 also be distinguished from those of other species 

 by then- restless, rapid movements. The proboscis 

 sheath extends the entire length of the body, and 

 the proboscis is armed with a slender central 

 stylet with massive basis truncated posteriorly 

 and with two lateral pouches usually containing 

 three accessory stylets each. Length of body 

 when mature 10 to 40 mm., width 1 to 2 mm. 



The species is locally common among algae, 

 Bryozoa, and other growths on rocks and other 

 objects in the low intertidal zone and below. It 

 occurs from the Bay of Fundy to northern Florida 

 and along the Gulf coast at least as far as Pen- 

 sacola, Fla. It is also found on the Pacific coast 

 from British Columbia to Mexico. 



Amphiporus cruentatus Verrill, 1879; Coe 1940, 1943 



Amphiporus lepiaranthus Coe, 1905. 



Individuals of this species are easily recognized 

 In life by their pale yellow color with three slender 

 longitudinal red lines representing the longitudinal 

 blood vessels, as well as by the single row of 5 to 

 10 ocelli on each side of the head. Central stylet 

 of proboscis long and slender on long, slender 

 basis. Length when mature 10 to 30 mm., width 

 1 to 4 mm. Blood corpuscles bright red. 



Lives among algae, Bryozoa, and other growths 

 on rocks and beneath stones and shells in the 

 intertidal zone and below from New England to 

 northern Florida and on the Gulf coast at least 

 as far as Pensacola, Fla., as well as on the Pacific 

 coast from Puget Sound to Mexico. 



This is a good species for the study of posterior 

 regeneration, the restoration of a lost proboscis, 

 and the reorganization of fragments cut from the 

 anterior portion of the body- 



Amphiporus ochraceus Verrill, 1892; Coe 1943 



Cosmocephala ochracea Verrill, 1873; .4. greenmani 

 Montgomery, 1897. 



In this species the body is slender and pale 

 yellow, whitish or grayish in color, sometimes with 



tinge of orange anteriorly and occasionally with 

 brown intestinal diverticula. The length when 

 mature varies from 10 to 70 mm. and the width 

 1 to 3 mm. The head bears 6 to 14 small ocelli 

 in irregular rows on each lateral margin, bending 

 medially toward the brain. The proboscis has a 

 slender central stylet and basis, with usually 2 

 accessory stylets in each of the 2 pouches. 



Locally common beneath stones and among 

 algae and other growths in the intertidal zone and 

 below from Massachusetts Bay to Florida and in 

 the Gulf westward to Port Aransas, Tex. 



Amphiporus texanus, Coe, 1951, 1951a 



This new species represents one of the larger 

 and broader forms of this extensive genus. The 

 type specimen was about 60 mm. in length and 6 

 mm. in width after preservation. The length of 

 this specimen is therefore only 10 times the 

 greatest width. The head is narrow, about 2 

 mm. in width, with subterminal mouth and 

 transverse or oblique lateral grooves. 



Ocelli. — There are many small ocelli on each 

 side of the head, although the exact number and 

 arrangement could not be determined in this 

 specimen. 



Prohoscw. — This organ is large and extends 

 nearly the entire length of the body. The central 

 stylet is moderately slender and about two-thirds 

 the length of the relatively massive basis. The 

 latter is nearly rectangular in outline, about four 

 times as long as its diameter, tapering but slightly 

 toward the anterior end and is truncated pos- 

 teriorly. In this type specimen the basis meas- 

 ured 0.135 mm. in length and from 0.027 to 0.035 

 mm. in diameter. One of the two accessory 

 pouches contained two well-formed stylets and 

 the other had three which were not yet completed. 

 In this specimen there were 10 rather large 

 proboscidial nerves. 



Color. — No record is available regarding the 

 color in life, but the specimen preserved in 

 formalin indicated a pale, reddish brown epidermal 

 pigmentation. 



Cerebral sense organs. — These are comparatively 

 larger than in most species of the genus. They 

 are situated lateroventrally and a short distance 

 anterior to the brain. 



Geographical disfribution. — At present known 

 only from this type specimen which was collected 

 by B. Earp at Port Aransas, Texas. 



